Author holding Amarillo book signing on 'Picnic: Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Tradition'

Author Dave Dalton Thomas will be in Amarillo for a book signing Saturday for his new work, “Picnic: Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Tradition,” published by Texas A&M University Press.

Thomas will be signing and selling his book at Barnes & Noble in Amarillo from 2 to 4 p.m. June 22.

He said the recently released book "is the only complete history of the event’s 50-year history and the culmination of decades of obsession and research."

Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic started on a ranch near Dripping Springs in 1973. It has traveled across the state of Texas and even the nation as a somewhat-annual fest, including lengthy stops in Luckenbach and Fort Worth. The Picnic has featured legends such as Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Neil Young, Leon Russell, George Jones, the Grateful Dead and many more.

John Spong, senior editor at Texas Monthly, said of the book that “Dave Dalton Thomas turns a seemingly narrow slice of Willie World into a highly specific telling of the wider Willie story … Essential reading for fans of Willie and students of life.” And in a review of the book, Michael Barnes of the Austin American-Statesman said: “For my money, ‘Picnic’ belongs on the list of the best books about Texas.”

People can preview the book at davetexas.com and see a complete list of events from the “Picnic World Tour of Texas.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Dave Dalton Thomas to sign copies of Willie Nelson book in Amarillo